Good design is layered. The first layer is the base - rug, upholstery, bookshelves, coffee table, etc. All the staples of the room. Accessories like lamps, throw pillows, blankets, and so on are added to form the second layer. And the final layer consists of the personal mementos that make the space truly your own. You know, picture frames with family photos, art that you picked up while on vacation, the cherished heirloom passed down from generation to generation. That final layer is what makes a house a home and, in particular, your house your home. On my shelves are ceramics that my daughter made at art camp, a basket full of old skeeballs from Bells Amusement Park in Tulsa, a collection of mason jars I’ve been amassing since college, antique and vintage crocks on every tier, and photography books galore. Each shelf is a time capsule of our lives.  

Photo credit: Stacy Goldberg

 If you wish you could perfectly present your personally curated collection, but don’t have the wherewithal to do it, then we have a great workshop for you. Kristen Alcorta of Pursuing Vintage will be at Red Barn Mercantile, March 18, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm to give you all the tips and tricks you need to put those personal finishing touches on your room.  As a professional stylist, Kristen works with homeowners, designers, and photographers to add that final layer of style to projects. She can take a bookshelf from bland to beautiful, a coffee table from meh to marvelous, and a room from ho-hum to how-you-doin’ (a la Joey Tribbiani). I promise you will come away ready to display your memories as well as any museum curator can!  

Photo credit: Jenn Verrier Photography